Whatever It Takes
by paredescolombia
Summary: Chapters 1-4 are edited...Hyde broke Jackie's heart. Donna abandoned her. Eric became her shoulder to lean on. Her best friend. Is it too late for Hyde and Donna to mend the mistakes they made, or can Jackie find it in her heart to forgive them? Hiatus.
1. Summary

**Summary**: In the past twelve months Jackie Burkhart has had her heart shattered into pieces by the **love of her life**. She's been abandoned by the girl she once saw as her **best friend** and **older sister**. Steven Hyde and Donna Pinciotti are realizing that the mistakes they made in the last few months have hurt Jackie in ways they would have never imagined. They're both asking for her forgiveness, but she doesn't know if she can forgive them after everything she's been through. She has the help of her best friends Eric Foreman and Brooke Spencer who have both promised to stand by her side and back her up with whatever decisions she makes.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own That 70's Show, but I wish I did. I wouldn't have allowed the disaster that was Season 8 to happen. Sam would have never walked through that door and Jackie and Hyde would have finished the conversation they started. Jackie would have never turned to Fez and claimed that he was the perfect match for her. Eric wouldn't have gone to Africa. Kelso wouldn't have moved to Chicago, and instead Brooke would have returned to Point Place with Betsy.

**Relationships: **Jackie/OOC, Jackie/Hyde, Donna/Eric, Brooke/Michael and possibly Laurie/Fez.


	2. Chapter 1: It's too late

**Chapter 1 – It's too late.**

Steven Hyde didn't know what to do. He couldn't believe this was happening. She wasn't supposed to leave. He was supposed to have another chance to make things right, but it seemed that his last chance was slipping through his fingertips. He wanted to see her. He wanted to talk to her. He had to convince her to stay, but how?

He walked into the Foreman's basement and found Jackie, Fez, Kelso, Donna and Eric sitting in their respective places watching a re-run of Three's Company. He couldn't help but stare at the mismatched eyed girl sitting beside his adoptive brother, but she barely acknowledged him, and he couldn't stop the disappointment that rushed through his body. He didn't know what he was supposed to say to her, but he knew that he couldn't just walk away. She needed to hear him.

"Jackie I need to talk to you." He tried to ignore the stared he was receiving from his lifelong friends deciding to keep his eyes on Jackie instead.

"Jackie. Let's talk…alone."

Jackie tried to keep her attention on the television set in front of her, but found it impossible. She finally looked up to meet Hyde's crystal-blue eyes. She couldn't avoid the sudden bewilderment that took over her beautiful features. She didn't know what the two of them could possibly have to talk about. He had spent the last eighteen months hurting her with his indifference, and all of a sudden he wanted to talk to her?

"What in the world would we have to talk about?" Her response came out colder than she had intended it to.

Hyde felt a sudden rush of disappointment trying to break through his usually emotionless expression when he heard Jackie's icy voice. He didn't want to have this conversation in front of an audience.

"I'll tell you when we're alone."

Jackie tried to stare through Hyde's trademark aviator sunglasses, but she couldn't make out his eyes.

"Whatever." Was her emotionless response as she reluctantly lifted herself off of the ancient couch and walked towards his bedroom with Hyde following close behind her.

Eric stared after his two friends before returning his eyes to the television set in-front of him.

"Do you think he knows?"

Hyde's bedroom door slammed shut answering his question before any of his friends had a chance to respond. Donna, Kelso, and Fez responded in unison.

"Yeah, he knows."

The four remaining members of the basement gang returned their attention to the television set, but their thoughts were now being set free with speculations about what would be going on in Hyde's bedroom in the next few minutes.

Hyde walked into his small bedroom taking off his aviator sunglasses and hooking them to his tee shirt. He took a deep breath trying to control his temper. He cleared his throat capturing Jackie's attention.

"Jackie, you can't seriously be thinking about moving to New, York!"

Jackie was stunned by his words. She didn't know he knew. She wasn't sure she would actually be leaving Point Place. It was just an idea she had decided to discuss with Eric and Brooke. She didn't think her sudden disappearance from her childhood home would make a difference to him. She didn't think he cared.

"Why the hell not? There's nothing left for me here I could get the fresh start I deserve, I could meet someone and start a life with-"

Hyde rubbed his hand over his face before returning his attention to the beautiful brunette in front of him.

"Jackie…you can't go."

Jackie's facial features changed the instant that those words left Hyde's lips. She suddenly felt a strengthening outrage take over her body. He had no right to say that to her. She wasn't his to control. Why did he suddenly care about what she did?

"What the hell are you talking about? You have absolutely no right to tell I can't do something. You lost those privileges the day your precious stripper walked through the damn door."

Hyde couldn't believe the words she'd just uttered. What the hell did she mean **he didn't have a right**? Why was she so hell bent on throwing Samantha in his face. She was the one who fucked everything up, not him. Right?

"You're the one who gave me a fucking ultimatum and left before I could give you a damn answer."

Jackie stared at him incredulously. He couldn't be serious.

"I thought you were going to say no. You had already said once that you wanted to have as much fun as possible before you settled down and your life went to crap, then we end up breaking up because you couldn't even give me a tiny glimmer of hope that maybe someday we could start a family…When I asked you for an answer you decided to go with Eric, Michael, Fez, and Charlie to a warehouse and get drunk Steven. What the hell was I supposed to think you were going to say?"

Hyde began to pace around his room almost knocking his nightstand to the ground as he tried to control his temper. He didn't understand why they were having this conversation. He didn't want to have this conversation with her, but he realized he had run out of choices. He didn't have a way out.

"You didn't give me a chance to say anything. You didn't give me many choices either. Marry me or I'm moving to Chicago?"

Jackie shook her head sadly. He'd never understood what it was she truly wanted. She just wanted him.

"Steven I just wanted to know that you loved me, that you wanted to be with me, that I made you happy, but you couldn't even give me that."

Hyde dropped his eyes. He wasn't able to look into Jackie's eyes. He had made so many mistakes when it came to her, but his damn pride hadn't let him admit it...until now.

"I didn't know that was what you wanted…"

Jackie smiled sadly once again.

"Well, apparently you didn't know me as well as I thought you did."

"Jackie, what was I supposed to do? I drove to Chicago with the intention of proposing to you. I wanted to tell you that you were all I needed to be happy, that I did see a future with you, that you-that you meant everything to me. I realized that when you told me you might be leaving me, I felt like my world was falling apart…then when I'm there ready to spend the rest of my life with you, Kelso comes in wrapped in a towel talking some bullshit about the two of you doing it. What the hell was I supposed to think when I saw that?"

"Michael and I both told you that nothing happened, but you wouldn't believe me. You would believe him. You didn't even stay in the motel room long enough so that I could try to explain to you that it was all just a misunderstanding. You just decided to take off and drive to Las Vegas so you could drown your sorrows in alcohol. You disappeared for a month without letting anyone know where you were. I quit my job to come back to Point Place and explain what happened to you, but you weren't here. When you finally come back you bring a fucking whore with you who claims to be your wife."

Hyde lowered his head. He didn't know what he could say to fix his mistakes. He wanted to say everything. He wanted to say nothing at all. His heart was battling with his mind for control of his voice, but he knew that his heart was right. He decided to start telling her the truth. He had so many thoughts he wanted to voice. He had to tell her. She needed to hear it.

"She never meant anything to me…"

Jackie was momentarily stunned by his words, but in a one quick second the shock she had just felt disappeared and was replaced by a strange combination of anger, disappointment, and confusion.

"She never meant anything to you? So, that's why you let her stay, because you didn't love her? That's a bullshit Steven and you know it."

Hyde had expected that she wouldn't understand what he meant, but he didn't think he was mentally, emotionally, or physically prepared to explain why he had made such dumbass choices. He began to see that she wouldn't be so willing to give him another chance, so he muttered his only truth. The truth he'd once tried to keep from everyone around him, including himself. He had finally realized that she wasn't going to give him another choice so he muttered the truth he'd been trying to keep from everyone including himself for the past eighteen months...if not more.

"She was the only thing I had that could keep you away from me."

Jackie didn't know how she was supposed to respond to his confession. She heard the sincerity in his words, but instead of helping her clear up the fog that had taken over her mind...the fog just seemed to grow thicker. The only thing see could do now was hope that he'd explain himself clearly. She decided to take a chance and just ask.

"Wait…What do you mean?"

Hyde sighed deeply. He knew that he wouldn't be able to skip this conversation with her. She wanted him to answer her questions, and although he wasn't the kind of person who normally did what he was supposed to, He'd realized awhile that he just didn't have a choice anymore.

"Jackie, I never deserved you. You could do better than me and I knew that eventually you would figure that out and leave me anyway. I just thought it would be easier for the both of us if there was someone standing in the way-"

Jackie finally understood what Hyde had been trying to tell her. He'd always been so insecure and it had taken its toll on their relationship. Jackie knew that if she didn't tell him now, she might not get the chance. He didn't know what their relationship had truly meant to her. He didn't know what **he** had meant to her. He didn't know how much he **still** meant to her.

"How could you say you didn't deserve me? Whenever Michael cheated on me and broke my heart, I could always count on you to put the pieces back together. You always tried to get the best out of me. You helped me realize that there was more to me then a bitchy cheerleader -"

"Jackie, I-"

" Steven, I loved you too much to just leave you. That's why I wanted to know that you wanted to be with me and that you could see a future for us. My heart was shattered into pieces when Sam walked through the door and then instead of sending her away you decided you wanted to play house with her."

"Jack-"

"No, Steven. Do you have any idea how much it hurt me to see you with her? You sat with her on your lap like you used to sit with me. You burned me every chance you had. You treated me like I never meant anything to you and-"

Hyde couldn't stop himself from interrupting her. He tried to walk towards her, but every step he took towards her she seemed to take two back.

"Jackie you meant everything to me…you still do."

Tears had begun to stream down Jackie's cheeks, but she couldn't stop the bitter laugh that escaped her lips. Hyde's words sounded so absurd to her.

"You have a strange way of showing it."

Hyde couldn't take it anymore. He quickly walked towards Jackie pulling her into his arms. He grabbed her waist firmly and stared into her mismatched eyes with his baby blue ones. He couldn't help but smile. Her eyes had always reminded him of jewels that she had used to look up at him with love and adoration that he didn't deserve.

"Jackie, I love you. I never stopped loving you and I want to be with you."

Jackie couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes and lie to his face, so she lowered her head before she uttered words she knew would break his heart as well as shattering what was left of her own.

"Steven, I loved you and-"

"Wait...loved?"

She looked up into his beautiful eyes. His eyes seemed to be filled with so much confusion.

"Steven, you've hurt me too much and I don't think that I can stand getting my heart broken again. The best for the both of us is if we move on with our lives...away from each other."

Hyde shook his head violently. He couldn't believe the words that had passed Jackie's lips moments before. She couldn't be serious. She couldn't leave him. She loved him. They were supposed to be together forever. The biggest mistake he had made was not realizing it sooner.

"No! You don't mean that. You can't possibly mean that. Jackie look tell me you don't love me and I promise I'll walk away from you."

"Steven...I don't...I…I don't…I can't do it. I love you too much and that's exactly why I have to leave. If we're really meant to be together then we will be together eventually, but you have to let me go."

"Jackie...please don't do this."

"Steven, I'm sorry…I should probably get home."

Jackie gave Hyde a tight hug and kissed him gently on his cheek.

"Bye."

Hyde grabbed Jackie before she could walk away from him and pulled her towards his body. He looked straight into her eyes gaining the courage to speak.

"I love you and I'll be right here waiting for you when you decide to come back to me."

He lowered his lips to hers kissing her with every emotion he has kept to himself in regards to her in hopes of changing her mind and giving him one last chance to mend all of the mistakes he's made in the past.

Jackie reluctantly released herself from Hyde's grip as she realized that she wouldn't have the strength to stop herself if she stayed. She looked up at him and gives him one last sad smile before walking past him.

"I'll see you around, Steven. Bye."

"Yeah, I'll see you around."

Hyde collapsed on his cot. He brushed his lips gently with his fingertips as a tear slowly rolled down his cheek.

Jackie walked out of Hyde's room. She tried to keep herself together as she walked passed her friends. Donna saw that her best friend was on the verge of a breakdown, so she quickly got up from her seat beside her boyfriend and lead her out the basement door. She helped her walk up the stairs, across the Foreman's driveway, and inside the bedroom that the two girls had once shared. When Donna shut the door and lead Jackie to her bed, she witnessed as her best friend collapsed on her bed as more tears streamed down her beautiful face.


	3. Chapter 2: She abandoned her too

**Chapter 2 – She abandoned her too.**

Donna didn't know what to do. Her best friend was falling apart in front of her, but she didn't know how to comfort her. She couldn't bare to see her crying. It was tearing her apart, but she hadn't spoken to Jackie much in the last eighteen months.

"Jackie…"

Jackie looked around Donna's room and finally realized where she was. She tried to control the heart-shattering sobs that were racking through her petite body.

"Wh-what d-do you w-want?"

Donna walked towards Jackie and decided to sit beside her on her bed. She pulled Jackie into her arms as she tried to make Jackie understand that she wanted to help her. She wanted to comfort her.

"What happened between you and Hyde? Why are you crying?"

Jackie pushed Donna's arm off her shoulder. She didn't want the redheaded girl's sympathy. She jumped off the bed and began to pace in front of the bed. She saw Donna's eyes widen in shock, but she didn't care about what the redhead was thinking.

"Why the hell do you care? You haven't been around to listen to me these past few months. Why would you want to do it now?"

Donna's eyes filled with confusion. She didn't understand why Jackie was acting like this. They had been through so much together, and now she was acting like none of that mattered…like they weren't friends.

"Jackie, how can you ask me that?"

Jackie shook her head sadly, but a bitter laugh rumbled in her throat and escaped her lips.

"How can I ask you that? You can't be serious?"

"Jackie, I-"

"Donna, save it. You've been treating me like shit for the past twelve months. That stupid stripper asked you why you were friends with me in first place and you couldn't even give her a reason why. You abandoned me. You changed me for a blonde bitch, which stood for everything you should have hated because she stood for everything you fought against as a damn feminist…you were won over because of a stupid car."

"Jackie, that's not true. I-"

"Donna, don't try to defend yourself. I understand that you were heartbroken because Eric had just left for Africa, but that gave you no right to turn your back on me completely. You left me to fend for myself instead of helping me get through my heart-break like I was trying to help you with yours."

Donna couldn't contain the tears that had formed in her eyes as she listened to her best friend's speech in a voice she knew was filled with anger and disappointment. She didn't know how to explain her actions, but she had to try.

"Jackie, I didn't mean to make you feel like you didn't matter to me."

"Well, even if that wasn't your intention you managed to make me feel like I had lost everything I had worked for with one action. I lost the **love of my life** to a stripper and instead of having the support of my so-called **best friend**, she thought the best thing was to be-friend the whore."

Donna began to walk towards Jackie, but stopped when she realized that Jackie didn't want her near her.

"I'm so sorry, and I'll do everything in my power to make it up to you."

Jackie shook her head sadly once again.

"Well, maybe it's too late for that. I might have finally realized that you were never the friend I thought you were. You always picked everyone over me-"

"Jackie…I never-"

"It seems I'm going to have to remind you about the times you stabbed me in the back instead of coming to me with the truth. When I was dating Michael, you knew he was cheating on me and instead of telling me and helping me realize that I could do better you kept your mouth shut, and watched as my heart was broken into a million pieces."

"I'm sor-"

"When I asked Michael to marry me you went with him to California without saying a word to him. When I started dating Steven, you were always against me being happy with someone new after I had been hurt more than a dozen times by Michael. You kept treating him like he was the only victim."

"Jackie, I did support you-"

"You called the relationship I had with Steven **creepy and unnatural**, that's one hell of a way to show you support. When he cheated on me with that whore of a nurse, you immediately defended him and told me to forgive him. When I finally decided that Steven was the one I wanted, he goes on a date with a biker-chick and instead of calling him a **dumb-ass** for picking that bitch over me, you hang out with them…do you really want me to keep going?"

"I wasn't picking sides. I was just trying to keep the peace."

"Since when does keeping the peace mean picking those that break your best friend's heart over your **best friend**?"

"I'm really trying to apologize. I don't want to lose my best friend-"

Jackie laughed bitterly once again. It seemed that since her conversation with Hyde started earlier that day she was laughing bitterly and shaking her head in sadness, confusion, and anger. It seemed to be something normal to her now. Shaking her head with sadness and disappointment was a becoming an everyday thing. She began to wonder how many times she would have to repeat these actions.

"Well, I really hate to break it to you Donna, but if you're referring to me as your best friend…you lost me a long time ago-"

"Jackie, don't do this…"

"I should probably head home-"

"Jackie, I need you to forgive me. What can I do to earn your forgiveness? Please tell me…I'll do whatever it takes."

"I don't know, but I wouldn't waste my time if I were you-"

"Jackie, you're my best friend. You have been and you always will be. I'm sorry I know I've made mistakes, but I really want to make it up to you. I never should have became friends with Sam. I never should have gone along with Hyde's idiotic marriage. I should have been there to show you my support and give you a shoulder to cry on…I'm just really sorry."

"I can't do this right now."

"Jackie-"

"I'll see you around, Donna."

"Okay."

Jackie walked out of the Pinciotti Household and started walking back towards the Foreman's driveway. She stopped in between her car and the Foreman's house. She considered returning to the basement. She wanted to talked to her best friend. She needed his support right now, but she decided against it. Instead she walked towards her car. She opened the driver's door and slid inside. She placed her key in the ignition, but didn't start her car. She just sat there staring at the dashboard as she began to shed the tears that she'd held in during her conversation with Donna. She eventually started the car and drove towards the apartment complex she shares with Fez. When she arrived at her apartment door she unlocked it in an instant. She let her belongings drop to the ground as she rushed to her bedroom. She locks herself inside and laid down on her bed. She cried herself into a dreamless sleep.

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Donna walked back towards her bed and sat down. She placed her head in her hands feeling the weight of the world fall on top of her. She couldn't breathe. How could she have been so fucking stupid? She had lost her best friend because of her poorly thought out choices. One mistake had cost her so much. She didn't know if she could get Jackie's friendship back. She wanted everything to be the way it once was. She was going to do **whatever it took** to be back in her best friend's life.


	4. Chapter 3: He needs to mend his mistakes

**Chapter 3 - He needs to mend his mistakes.**

Steven Hyde had made a lot of mistakes in his life, but the biggest mistake he ever made was letting the **love of his life** slip through his fingers. He'd always known that Jackie was special, he wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he knew. Their relationship had started as two teenagers messing around, but deep down they both knew it was so much more than that. He had always denied that he liked her. He'd always pretended to hate her. He eventually began to believe the lies that he was telling his four friends, but his subconscious always made sure that he wasn't being truthful. He had dreams of hugging her, kissing her, making love to her. He didn't know what he would do. His dreams seemed so realistic, but when he woke up he had to witness her with his lifelong friend Michael Kelso. He didn't understand why this raven-haired beauty settled for such a dumb-ass when she deserved the best.

He was always setting small traps to get Kelso caught in the act with Laurie, but he didn't have much luck. Eventually, Jackie discovered what she'd been to naive to see. He was there. He helped her pick up the pieces of her shattered heart, but he continued to tell himself that she didn't mean anything to him. He didn't understand why she always came to him seeking his comfort, but he always seemed to enjoy those moments with her. She developed a crush on him, but he didn't want to be with her...at least that's what he continued to tell himself. Deep down he knew that he rejected her because he wouldn't be able to handle her leaving him and returning with Kelso. He didn't want to be her rebound. He wanted to be the love of **her** life just like she was the love of **his**, but he knew that what she had with Kelso wasn't over, so he eventually saw her return to his friend.

When she ran up to Fez and him to tell them that she was marrying Kelso...it had shattered his heart, but he didn't let it show.

Donna went to California after Casey Kelso broke-up with her and Eric told her that he wouldn't be her second choice. Kelso went with her to run away from the petite brunette that wanted to marry him. He saw this as his opportunity to be with her and he didn't hesitate to take it. Donna and Kelso eventually returned from California. He didn't know what would happen to his relationship with Jackie, but she didn't want to end it anymore than he did. Their best friends discovered what they had been up to and gave them two choices. They could either stop their **creepy and unnatural **relationship or they could tell Kelso how the two of them had spent their summer vacation.

He and Jackie realized that they weren't just messing around...they were falling in love. They eventually convinced their friends that what they had was real. Everything concerning their relationship was going great, until Annette showed up.

Annette was the girlfriend Kelso had while he was in California. She had come to visit him and almost lead the destruction of His relationship with Jackie. The **get off my boyfriend** fiasco made him think twice about his relationship with Jackie. It made it seem like she still had feelings for Kelso. He began to believe the little voice in his head that kept telling him that she was just with him to get back at her ex-boyfriend. He began to think that he wouldn't be what she wanted. He wouldn't be what she truly deserved. She came to him to ask him to forgive her. She told him she loved** him**, but Kelso would always be her first boyfriend. She told him that if he really wanted to be with her he would have to understand that she couldn't turn back time. Michael Kelso would always be her first love, but he was the love of her life. Those words had melted his heart, and started to break-down the wall he had constructed to shield himself from the world.

Their argument didn't last very long. He decided to forgive her and they ended up going to the Valentine's Day school dance where he spent the entire night basking in her beauty.

Their happiness didn't last long because he ended up making one of the biggest mistakes of his life when he saw Jackie comforting Kelso on the couch in Donna's living room. He didn't ask her why she was cuddled up with Kelso, instead he decided to hurt her the way he thought she had hurt him. He slept with a random nurse who showed interest in him. He eventually questioned Kelso about what he'd seen. Kelso told him that Jackie was just comforting him because Fez had a exotic dream about him. Kelso told him that he was really freaked out and he went to find Jackie because she was always the one who understood him.

He felt like the biggest jackass in the world and he decided to tell his girlfriend the truth. It was the only thing he could do. He had to witness Jackie's eyes sadden and show all the pain he had caused her. He tried to apologize and tell her that it would never happen again, but she didn't want to listen to him anymore because after her she broke- up with her ex-boyfriend Michael Kelso she promised herself that she would never stay with someone who cheated on her. She ended their relationship, and left him to sit in the driver's seat of his black El Camino listening to country music.

He tried to make her understand that he wasn't like remembered what he said_. "Jackie...I love you_."

Her response had nearly killed him. "_Yeah...well, I don't love you._"

It began to seem like she was going to pick Kelso over him, but she made them both wait the entire summer before telling them who she had chosen. She chose **him**. He was ecstatic, but he wouldn't tell her that. He decided to ask a biker chick named Raquel on a date the same day that Jackie went to the basement to get him back. He decided to make her suffer. He picked spending the day with the biker chick instead of talking to her about their relationship and getting her back.

They eventually got back together with the help of Kelso, as strange as it seemed. Their relationship was back to normal, but it wasn't long before they started having problems again. Jackie started pushing for commitment and he started pulling away. He didn't think he was ready, but after a few days they were back together with the help of their friend Fez.

Their demise came a few weeks later. Jackie was offered a job in Chicago, Illinois. She was willing to give the job up and stay with Point Place. She just wanted to know that he could see a future with her, but he misunderstood what it was she was asking from him. Instead of telling her the truth, he freaked out and went to a beer warehouse. She was waiting for him at Donna's house, but he never came. He had passed out in the warehouse.

He eventually sobered up and made the decision to tell her to stay, but she had already left for Chicago...or so he thought. She wasn't able to find transportation, so instead she was hiding from him in the Foreman's basement. he had the opportunity to tell her to stay. That he loved her that he needed her to stay with him, but instead he said "_Have a nice trip_."

He realized he had made yet another mistake and decided he needed to go to Chicago. He was going to propose to her. When he was about to tell her everything his best friend, her ex-boyfriend walked into her motel room with a towel wrapped around his waist. Kelso's words still burned in his memory. "_Hey Jackie, I checked and no one can see us doing it from the parking looottt!_"

He couldn't stand it, and he left before she could give him any kind of explanation. He was blinded be shear rage and he decided he needed to get away from everything. He spent the night driving to Las Vegas. He ended up getting drunk and marrying a stripper. When he finally came back to Point Place a month later he decided to talk to Jackie. When the two of them were in the middle of their conversation. The doorbell rang and in walked in Samantha **Hyde**. She claimed to be his **wife**.

In the weeks that followed he decided that the best thing for everyone would be for him to pretend that Jackie never meant anything to him. He would stay with his wife. He needed to forget Jackie. She deserved better than him and he was going to help her realize it. He started burning her without mercy. He was either ignoring her, or he was verbally abusing her.

Eventually Sam's real husband showed up to claim what was his. It turned out that Sam was still married, so he wasn't really married.

To make matters worse Jackie had decided that she needed to find someone that would love her without hurting her. She seemed to believe that Fez would be that someone. When she came to talk to him about it he couldn't believe it. He threw as many insults as he could at her. He wanted to break her from that stupid idea, but she didn't let him. She wanted her happily ever after and she wouldn't let him get in the way.

She started a strange relationship with Fez, but it didn't last past January 1, 1980. She'd already told Fez that is shouldn't have been so difficult for them to share their first kiss. They both realized that they couldn't be anything more than the friends they had always been.

It all seemed like a never-ending roller coaster to him these days, but he knew that he couldn't live without her. His only regret now, was that he had to lose her before he realized that he wouldn't be able to live without her by his side. He didn't know what it was he was supposed to do to make sure she didn't leave him. How was he going to prove to her that she was the only one that could get into the heart he had always denied having?

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Hyde walked out of his small bedroom to find his friend and adoptive brother Eric Foreman sitting alone on the couch watching Happy Days. He thought about returning to his bedroom and laying down on his cot, but decided that he needed to talk to someone, so he sat in his chair.

"Foreman, I need to talk to you."

"Does this have to do with Jackie?"

Hyde stared blankly at the television set in-front of him. He didn't know why he thought talking about this with someone was a good idea, but he had no way out of it now. He turned his head towards his lifelong friend slowly before he nodded. "Yeah, man. It's about Jackie."

Realization hit Eric. He was visually surprised, and it showed in his tone.

"You still love her don't you?"

His question came out more like a statement. He knew Hyde still loved Jackie, but he didn't think his friend was actually going to admit it to himself let alone any of his friends.

Hyde didn't answer his question, instead he turned his attention back to the television screen staring at it blankly.

"Hyde, if you really want to get Jackie back you're going to have to let go of all of your Zen bullshit, or you're never going to get her back."

Hyde took a deep breath and released it slowly before he answered his best friend. His voice is barely above a whisper as his voice cracked.

"Yeah, man. I still…I still love her."

"You do realize that you royally fucked up this time right and that you're going to have to do the impossible to get Jackie to take you back?"

Hyde started to get aggravated with his best friend. He didn't admit that he still loved Jackie so that his lifelong friend could tell him he had fucked-up the best thing in his life.

"Yeah, dumb-ass I know that already."

"Look Hyde, I'm telling you this because I want you and Jackie to be happy. As hard as it is to believe in the past year Jackie and I have become very close over-"

Hyde couldn't control the jealousy that racked through his body as his friend's words hit him like a punch to the face.

"Wait…what?"

"Look, Jackie used to write me letters when I was in Africa. She needed someone to open up to since the love of her life and her best friend seem to busy with the stripper to notice how every little thing they did destroyed her."

Eric realized that Hyde was about to interrupt him, so he held up is hand to stop him.

"It was one thing that you broke her heart Hyde, but what made it worse was that Donna, who's supposed to be her best friend abandoned her for the exact same person you did. With your stupid actions you managed to take the two people she cared about the most."

Eric's words sunk in, and Hyde had to lower his head to his hands. He felt a huge knot forming in his throat finding it hard to speak.

"I…I didn't mean to do that to her."

Eric's sympathy was evident in his voice at he spoke.

"I know you didn't, but it still happened. She sent me the first letter after the stupid sleep-over Donna planned. She told me that Sam had asked Donna why she was friends with her in the first place, and for the longest time Donna couldn't come up with an answer. That broke Jackie's heart all over again. Donna finally gave Sam an answer that had given her some hope that she hadn't lost everything. Then days later she realizes that she has been replaced and no one bothered to stand up for her."

After he heard Eric's little lecture, Hyde decided to let him in. He decided it was time to tell him what he'd been holding in for months.

"I know I have a lot of begging to do, but I really need Jackie to forgive me. I've already had to suffer living without her at my side, seeing her with someone else, watching her make plans for her future without me is starting to kill me…I-I can't let her go Foreman."

"She has to know-"

"How am I supposed to tell her?"

"You can't just use words anymore, and I don't think shaving off your hideous porn-star mustache is going to work either."

Eric then stopped and stared at his friend's porn-star mustache for a second before continuing.

"Then again, it couldn't hurt. You're going to have to find the words you once swore you would never say. You're going to have to do things you would never want to do, but know would help you obtain Jackie attention."

Hyde already knew the answer to his next question, but he couldn't stop himself from asking it anyway. "This isn't going to be easy is it?"

Eric looked up at the ceiling suddenly finding it fascinating before returning his attention to Hyde. "Probably not, but ask yourself one question…Is she worth it?"

Hyde is filled with amazing memories of the moments he's shared with Jackie. Most of those days they spent together are the only ones worth remembering in his opinion. Her beautiful smile, her miss-matched eyes that made him melt, her angelic features. He couldn't hide the small smile that formed on his lips. "Yeah…she's worth it."

Eric smiled at his friend and adoptive brother. "Okay, but you can't afford to fuck-up anymore."

Hyde met his friend's eyes with a serious expression which is matched the tone of his voice as he responded. "I won't."

The two boys returned their attention to the television screen. Hyde stared at the screen as he realized that this was really his last chance to make everything right. He's going to let her get away. He still loves her. He always has, he always would.


	5. Chapter 4: Circumstances aren't the same

**Chapter 4 – The circumstances are not the same.**

Donna Pinciotti laid on her staring up at the ceiling. Her former best friend's words continued to repeat themselves in her head. She couldn't believe that she had given up an amazing friendship because she was so wrapped up in her own dilemmas. She had neglected a girl who she saw as her younger sister, her confidant, and her advisor. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock at her door, but she decided to ignore it. She thought if the person on the other side of her bedroom door didn't receive a response from her, they would leave her alone. She wanted to be alone. She wanted the Earth to open up and swallow her whole.

Eric stood on the other side of the love of his life's bedroom door. He knew that whatever conversation Jackie and Donna had early that day hadn't ended well. He didn't receive a response from his girlfriend, but he knew she was inside. He decided he wasn't going to wait for her to acknowledge him anymore. He opened the door cautiously and called out his girlfriend's name.

"Donna?"

Donna didn't respond. She continued to stare up at the ceiling as if she hadn't heard him.

Eric already knew what the answer to his question would be before he asked it, but he decided to take a chance and ask her.

"Donna….what's wrong?"

Donna took a deep breath.

"I've been such a dumb-ass in the past few months, and it took hearing the person I hurt the most tell me to my face the mistakes I made and what a bitch I've been for me to finally realize it."

"I take it that Jackie finally talked to you."

"Yeah, she said I wasn't- w-wait a minute. How did you know that I was talking about Jackie?"

Eric rubbed his hand over his face and sighed deeply before answering his girlfriend's question.

"I've already had this conversation with Hyde and I don't want you to hate me, but this really needs to be said…In the past few months when the two of you decided to abandon Jackie, she realized that she didn't have anyone by her side to tell her that everything was going to be okay. When I was in Africa, she started writing me letters telling me what was going on. I started writing her back, giving her advice, and telling her to give you guys some time to get your heads out of your asses, but you never did. We started talking for at least half an hour every day, and in the past few months she has become my best friend-"

A strange combination of confusion and anger started to take over Donna's features. Eric was supposed to be on her side. She made a mistake, but what Hyde did was completely unforgivable in her eyes.

"Hyde hurt her a thousand times more than I did. I only made one mistake."

Eric was finally able to see what Jackie meant when she had described a drastic change in Donna's behavior while he was in Africa. This wasn't his girlfriend, and he knew he was partially responsible for it. He felt the overwhelming need to defend his best friend. He loved his girlfriend and his adoptive brother, but the pain they had caused Jackie was unforgivable. He wasn't going to let their fucking stupid completely destroy the raven-haired beauty he had learned to love.

"Do you really believe that?"

"Yes, I-"

Eric interrupted Donna before she could make everything worse. He was incapable of keeping his emotions at bay.

"Donna, you were supposed to be her best friend and give her a shoulder to cry on, and her support system when Hyde's whore of a wife came around, but you didn't do that. Instead, you decided to befriend the stripper by inviting her to a sleep-over with Jackie, and when you were supposed to give Sam a reason why Jackie was your best friend you couldn't give her one."

"Eric, I was having a difficult time dealing with the fact that you were in a different continent, and-"

"No! I'm not going to let you use me as an excuse. How do you think Jackie felt when she found out that the love of her life had married someone else when he couldn't even promise her a future together? She was falling apart and no one was there to pick up the pieces, so she started talking to me because you abandoned her, but when you needed someone to talk to and help you feel better she was always there by your side…and don't even try to tell me that that's not true because Fez and Hyde are witnesses to that."

Donna's body chilled over with an immeasurable amount of guilt. She couldn't look at her boyfriend anymore. She lowered her eyes to her carpeted floor and walked away from him before responding.

"Okay…I admit that while you were in Africa I wasn't the support to Jackie that I should have been, but she said that I have never acted like her best friend and that's not true."

Eric walked over to her and tilted her chin so they were looking directly into each others' eyes.

"It's not?"

"Of course it's not…I asked her to come stay with me when her father was arrested for embezzling money, and her mother was whoring around Latin America-"

Eric shook his head slowly.

"Donna, you can't use that because when we were talking about what we could do to help Jackie and your father told you to tell her that you could share your bedroom, you told us to consider buying her a trailer and parking her in the driveway because you didn't want to share your room with her."

"Yeah, but-"

"Then, I told you that you had to help her because you were her best friend. Do you remember what you said?"

Donna tries to remember what it was she said that day, but she's just drawing a blank.

"No…I don't."

Eric sighed deeply before continuing.

"You said **She's not my best friend.** Then I asked you who your best friend was and you said, **Crap…how the hell did that happen?** when you realized that she was, and that made all of us think that you were upset and ashamed to claim Jackie as you best friend."

Donna once again felt the need to lower her eyes. She couldn't stand the disappoint she saw in Eric's eyes. Her body filled with a sudden icy guilt.

"That's not fair. I didn't mean it the way it came out."

"Donna…I love you, but when it comes to the mistakes you made in regards to Jackie…I can't back you up on this. Jackie's right and I'm sorry, but I'm backing her up."

Donna found herself pleading with her boyfriend.

"I know I've made mistakes, but I really want to get Jackie's friendship back."

Tears are threatening to spill over as she tries to make her boyfriend understand, as she realizes that he's right in picking Jackie's side over her.

"She's like my little sister and I can't imagine not having her in my life. I'll do anything…I just…I need her to forgive me…I need my best friend back."

Eric grabbed his girlfriend and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He kissed her forehead lightly. He was letting her know that he wasn't going to abandon her the way she had abandoned Jackie.

"If you're serious about this, then I am going to help you as much as I can, but just like Hyde you're going to have to do the impossible to get Jackie to trust you again."

Donna nodded frantically.

"Yes…I'm serious about getting my best friend back."

"Okay…Don't worry Jackie will be your best friend again, but you're going to have to be very patient." Eric gives her a gentle kiss on the lips. "I have to go check up on Jackie."

Donna nodded and smiled at her boyfriend.

"It's a little strange, knowing that these days you're the one Jackie confides in when just a few months ago I was the keeper of her secrets."

Eric couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped his lips.

"Yeah, I guess. It's cool though…I never thought I'd see such a different side of Jackie, she's really surprised me."

"She tends to have that effect on people."

Eric nodded and slowly walked around his girlfriend. He headed for the bedroom door. He turned around before reaching the door knob. He knew he had his girlfriend's attention.

"I love you...and don't worry everything will work out."

Donna made eye contact with Eric and smiled gently. "I love you too…thank you."

"No problem."

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Eric walked out of Donna's bedroom closing the door behind him. He then walked towards the Vista Cruiser leaving the Pinciotti house behind him. He opened the driver's door sliding in. He started the engine and then started driving towards Fez and Jackie's apartment. It seemed that everyone had finally gotten their heads out of their asses. Hyde and Donna had both realized the hell that they had put his best friend through in his absence. They seemed willing to do **whatever it took** to earn her forgiveness, even if they didn't deserve it. Now, the hardest part would be convincing Jackie to listen to them, and more importantly to forgive them for the mistakes they made in the past. Eric was confident that things would soon be like they once were, with the exception of his friendship with Jackie of course. He wouldn't be able to separate himself from her now. He felt the need to protect her and he would do it at all costs even if his girlfriend and adoptive brother didn't like it.


	6. Chapter 5: He's the one she leans on

**Chapter 5 – He's the one she leans on.**

Eric Foreman wouldn't have believed anyone years ago if they would have dared to tell him that the girl he had once referred to as **Devil** and **Darth Burkhart**, would one day become his best friend. He would have looked at that person like they were stupid before calling them insane without hesitation. He still couldn't believe that he felt such a strong need to protect her from the cruelties that the world around them dished-out towards her. He wouldn't be able to take anyone seriously if they dared to say that someday he would stand up to the love of his life and a man he saw as his brother to protect the petite brunette. He wouldn't have turned his back on them. He would have stayed by their side. In eighteen months everything he had once believed in has changed so much. He still saw Donna Pinciotti as the love of his life and he still saw Steven Hyde as his brother, but he didn't see them as his friends. They weren't the people he grew up with, but then again neither was Jackie Burkhart. She was now his best friend, and the sister he never had, well...he did Laurie, but no one ever knew where the hell she was half the time.

He walked towards Fez and Jackie's apartment complex. He wanted to talk to Jackie. He needed to know she was okay. He wanted her to know that he would be supporting her. It didn't matter what it was she chose to do. He would be at her side. He just wanted her to be happy. He wanted to see her mismatched eyes sparkle like they used to whenever she smiled. He didn't want to pick sides, but he didn't think he had many choices at this point...he would defend her, even if it meant that the people around him would have to take a back-seat to the raven-haired beauty.

His friendship with Jackie had started in such a mind-boggling way. He still didn't understand what the hell had happened in such a short time, but he knew that he wouldn't abandon her like everyone else in her life had. He realized that Jackie was just like a scared little girl who took a chance and ended up with a broken heart. She just wanted someone to show her a way back to the happiness she once had. He would be that someone she could turn to in her life. He would help her. He didn't care about the consequences that his actions would bring with them.

In the twelve months he was in Africa, Jackie became his pen-pal. He remembered receiving a letter addressed to him in the neatest handwriting he had ever seen. It had taken him at least a minute to realize that Jackie had written him that letter. She had tried to describe to him the hell she saw herself living in. She had to watch the **love of her life** play house with a whore he'd met in Las Vegas. She wanted to know why Hyde couldn't see a future with her. He knew that question was killing her inside, but he didn't know how to answer it. He started giving her advice and she accepted it without question. He told her that she had the strength to pretend the insults Hyde threw her way didn't mean anything to her. She also asked him what he thought about the betrayal she had to endure because of her **so-called**** best friend**. The months past and his friendship with Jackie grew stronger and stronger as his friendship with Hyde grew weaker. They gave each other advice, they made each other laugh, and they were always there for one another.

Eric finally arrived in front of Fez and Jackie's door and knocked twice. He stood there waiting for Jackie to open the door, but no one answered. He knocked louder thinking maybe she hadn't heard him, but he didn't receive a response. He tried one last time deciding to give his best friend a little more time to open the door, but five minutes later Eric was still standing outside waiting for someone to let him in.

"Jackie…Jackie. It's me Eric. Please open the door."

He placed his ear on the door, but he didn't hear anyone on the other side. He sighed deeply. He decided that he was not going to wait for anyone to let him in anymore. He took his keys out of his pocket and picked out a round silver key. Jackie had insisted he have a copy of the key to the apartment in case of an emergency. He unlocked the door and walked in. He looked around the apartment, but he didn't find who he was looking for, so he decided to walk straight up to Jackie's door and knock instead of wasting any more time.

"Jackie…It's me."

There was some shuffling going on behind Jackie's door. She open the door slowly just in case she had mistaken someone else's voice with Eric's, but as soon as she was sure it was him she opened the door completely. She silently gave him permission to enter her room. Eric took one look at his best friend's appearance. Her eyes were extremely red and puffy. He knew she had been crying and he cursed himself for not coming to the apartment to check up on her first. He took a look at his surroundings. He noticed a shoebox he'd never seen before.

"Hey Jackie…I'm sorry I didn't come sooner."

"It's okay. I understand."

"Okay…"

Eric couldn't contain his curiosity. He cleared his throat nervously.

"Uh…can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah. What is it?"

"What's with the shoebox?"

Jackie couldn't help but smile. These days he always noticed everything that revolved around her whether it was physically or emotionally. He always knew when something was bothering her. She let out a shaky breath before answering his question.

"It's not just a shoebox…it holds everything that I once held, and continue to hold closest to my heart."

Eric saw this as his opportunity to make her smile, so he didn't hesitate in taking it.

"So, that shoebox is filled with everything that reminds you of me. Right?"

Jackie couldn't help but laugh at his comment. Since she started writing and calling him, he'd always been able to brighten her day with his boyish charm.

"Well…you're not completely wrong."

"Wait…you really have things that remind you of me in there?"

"Well, yes and no. I have things here that remind me of the most important people in my life…or at least they were…at one point."

Jackie sat down on her bed and put the shoebox on her lap as Eric joined her on her enormous bed.

Eric carefully removed the shoebox from Jackie's lap and took off the lid to see an assortment of items. He took out the pictures that were on top and started sorting through them. They were pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Foreman, Mr. Pinciotti, Leo, Mr. Barnett, Brooke, Kelso, Fez, Donna, Hyde, himself and surprisingly he found a few pictures of Laurie and Hyde's sister Angie. Under those pictures he saw a stack of letters addressed to Jackie in his handwriting, and he realized at once that they were the letters he sent her when he was in Africa. He couldn't help but smile at letters he addressed to her. She'd saved every single one of them, and she didn't know was that he'd done the same with the ones she'd sent him.

Eric continued to look through the items in the shoebox. He saw notes that seemed to have been written by Jackie and Hyde while they were dating, tickets to Funland, along with some strange souvenirs he'd never seen before. When he reached the bottom of the shoebox he came across an old Led Zeppelin tee shirt. He couldn't keep the curiosity that was building inside him at bay. He had to ask her.

"Jackie, why do you keep all of these pictures, letters, and tickets?"

Eric knew better then to mention the Led Zeppelin tee shirt. Jackie had already told him about Hyde surprising her with it on her eighteenth birthday. Hyde had told her that Led Zeppelin tee shirt was his **favorite** **one**, but she was **his chick** and he wanted her to have it. Jackie loved this tee shirt more than anything else she'd ever been given.

Jackie couldn't stop her eyes from tearing up as she met her best friend's caring gaze.

"These things remind me of the people I love the most. They remind me of my family…they remind me of every wonderful moment I've spent with every single one of you."

Jackie couldn't stop the tears as they started to roll down her cheeks. Eric reached over to her and began to wipe her tears away. She waited a few seconds before continuing.

"I use these items as my escape. When everything in my life seems to be going wrong, I can look at these pictures and I can relive every wonderful moment I've shared with each and every one of you in my mind without fail. Whether it was Valentine's Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, or just a day were the basement was filled with the six of us watching re-runs of Gilligan's Island, Bewitched, Brady Bunch, Happy Days or anything else. I can still replay all the times we spent together in my mind...back when it seemed that nothing would take a turn for the worst. These memories can't be erased, even though my life has been on a downward spiral for awhile...I don't regret any of the moments I spent with everyone. You guys helped me see that there's more to life than the materialistic things I was brought up to believe would make me happy. These pictures remind me that I wouldn't be who I am today without any of you, even if some have turned their backs on me."

Eric nodded in understanding. He wanted to kick himself in the head for not seeing it until now, Jackie Burkhart was so much more than what she seemed. He wished he could take back every insult he had ever thrown at her, but he knew that was impossible. All he could do now was support her and give her a shoulder to lean on. Someone she could always count on to do what was best for her. He knew it would be a difficult task, but he was going to bring that brilliant smile back to the raven-haired beauty's face. He would have to help Donna and Hyde mend all of the mistakes they had made. He just wanted his friends to be happy, but he didn't know if Jackie would be willing to forgive them after everything they had done. Maybe she didn't want Donna and Hyde in her life anymore. Maybe she had decided that she deserved better than them. She'd probably realized that she was worth more than they had been willing to offer. All these thoughts ran through his mind as he hugged his best friend. He gently kissed her forehead as she continued to shed the tears that she'd once been strong enough to hold in. He didn't understand why she had to go through such a heartbreaking experience. He admired her for the bravery she showed when she had to face the ones that had hurt her the most, even though he loved Donna and Hyde he didn't think they deserved to be in her life anymore. All Jackie wanted was to be loved, supported and accepted by the ones she loved, but she didn't think she had any of that when it came to her so-called friends. He wanted her to know that he was there for her. He was going to be with her every step of the way to make sure that sparkle she once had in her eyes would return. He would be all of the support she needed. He wasn't going to let her down.

"It's going to be okay. I'll do whatever it takes to make you smile again. I promise."


	7. Chapter 6: She doesn't know

**Chapter 6 - She doesn't know.**

Jackie Burkhart's tears had finally subsided. She was just relishing in the feeling of having her confidant, her support system, and most importantly her best friend by her side. He had spent the night at her apartment. He didn't want to leave her alone. He made himself a bed on her carpeted bedroom floor, so he'd be right beside her if she needed him. In the morning Eric had called everyone he had made plans with to cancel them. He said he'd rather spend the day with her. Those words had been exactly what she wanted to hear. She didn't think he realized the impact his words truly had on her.

Eric and Jackie were sitting on the living room couch surrounded watching re-runs of Happy Days surrounded by bags of potato chips, sodas, half-emptied cartons of Rocky Road.. Jackie's mind was whirling. She knew that she needed to talk to her best friend about her decision to leave Point Place. There were still some parts she wasn't sure about. She needed his advice. She already knew that his support was unconditional. He had proved it with his actions.

Jackie knew she needed to leave Point Place, but she didn't want to separate herself from the few friends she still had.

"Hey, Eric…"

"Yeah?"

"I've decided I'm not moving to New York."

Eric couldn't contain his surprise, but it was harder to hide the small smile that was making it way to his lips.

"Wait…what? Jackie, are you sure?"

Jackie smiled brightly at her best friend's reaction, but she hadn't finished was she wanted to say.

"Yeah, but I'm not staying in Point Place either."

Eric didn't know how he was supposed to react to her words. He felt confused, but there was also a small part of him that seemed to point towards disappointment.

"Wait…I don't understand. If you're not moving to New York and you're not staying in Point Place…where are you going?"

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Okay."

"I've decided that I'm going to go to college this fall. I was actually thinking about going to the University of Wisconsin, but I wanted to talk to you about it first because I didn't know if you would have any objections."

"Jackie, I'd think it's incredible that your thinking about going to Madison. Especially since I'll be there this fall too, but are you sure that this is what you want to do?"

"Yes. I can't-wait...What? you're going to Madison too?"

Eric smiled and nodded as Jackie hugged him tightly.

"I guess. I can't let you move to Madison by yourself. What kind of friend would that make me? We're losing focus...what were you telling me before?"

"Oh, right. I can't stay here because seeing Steven on a daily basis is already killing me. I think I need to physically separate myself from the person who has caused me the greatest amount of emotional pain, or I won't be able to heal."

"I understand, but what if Hyde is finally realizing the mistake? What if he wants to make everything better?"

"That's exactly why I can't stay here-"

"Why?"

"I can't have him telling me that he loves me, and that he wants me back."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because…I'm still in love with him."

Eric nodded his head in mock-understanding.

"Okay…Hyde is finally pulling his head out of his ass and is actually trying to mend his mistakes, but you don't want him to apologize…Well, I'm completely lost."

"I love him, but I don't trust him anymore."

"Jackie, he knows he made a mistake. He's an idiot, but he's an idiot that loves you."

"Eric, I really need you to understand this. I need your support right now, or else I'm never going to be able to make any progress."

Eric took a deep breath staring into his best friend's mismatched eyes. He saw that she was desperately seeking his understanding. His approval. He smiled letting her know that he understood.

"Okay, but I need a better explanation when it comes to I love him, but I don't trust him anymore."

"Okay…remember when we were younger and Michael took me to your basement for the first time?"

"When he brought you to the basement to play doctor?"

"Yes- wait…what? No, I was talking about when he introduced me to everyone as his girlfriend."

"Oh, you mean when we hated you?"

"Yeah...thanks."

"Sorry."

"Whatever."

"Okay…what does that have to do with what your telling me now."

"Well, as you so nicely put it…all of you hated me. Especially Steven, well at least he made it seem that way-"

Eric interrupted Jackie laughing.

"Yeah, I remember. He was always the one with the harshest burns when it came to you, but I still don't understand what that has to do with anything."

"Well, if you could stop interrupting me. I'd be able to explain what that has to do with anything."

Eric smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry…please continue."

Jackie smiled at her best friend's sheepish smile. It reminded her of a little boy being scolded by their parents.

"Okay…Steven always seemed to hate me, but he was also the only person who always made me feel safe. When Michael decided to ask Pam Macy to your Junior Prom, I ended up crying on Steven's chest begging him to take me. He pretended to hate the idea, but at the end of the day he ended up agreeing to it because deep down he hated seeing me cry. When I found out Michael was cheating on me with Laurie, Steven was there to help me get through the break-up by teaching me Zen. Michael and I eventually got back together, but Steven always seemed to be in the background making sure that I didn't get hurt again. I remember the day I went to Funland with Steven, Fez, and Michael after they couldn't get you out of your bed. There was a man in a dog costume who was constantly hitting on me and making me feel uncomfortable, Steven was there to scare him off when he tried to touch me. Small gestures like that made me see him differently-"

"Wait…are you telling me that you started falling in love with Hyde when you were still dating Kelso?"

"Well, I think subconsciously…I started falling in love with Steven the night he took me to Prom, but I was too scared to admit it to myself."

"Okay, but you started chasing after him days after you and had caught Kelso making-out with my sister. You constantly said you were in love with him. You actually managed to get him to agree on going on a date with you. You told him you didn't feel anything after your first kiss."

"I got scared."

"What?"

"I didn't want him to tell me that he didn't feel anything, so I said it before he could reject me and break my heart…We're getting side-tracked here do you want me to finish explaining or not?"

"I'm sorry…again."

Jackie rolled her eyes.

"Whatever…as I was saying, by the time that Michael and Donna went to California I already had some bottled up feelings towards Steven that I was trying to hide. You already know that we started messin' around, but you guys didn't know about all of the trust I had bestowed upon Steven. He was always there to hold me, to tell me everything was going to be alright, to protect me when it seemed like my surroundings were trying to destroy me. He shaved his beard off when he didn't know how to comfort me with words, he snuck me into the basement every night after my dad was sent to prison and my mom decided to whore herself around Latin America, he understood that I didn't want your parents, our friends, or you knowing that I was living by myself, he made me understand that I was never going to be alone because I would always have the love and support of our friends…even yours."

He smiled.

"He was right. You did have our love and support, and you still do."

"Thanks…so, as I was saying Steven always showed me that I could count on him. He was always there, but he never trusted me like I trusted him. I know that I made mistakes starting with the **get off my boyfriend** fiasco, but he's always had trust issues that he couldn't get over…especially, when it came to my relationship with Michael."

"Yeah, I think we all saw that."

"He saw me on the couch comforting Michael after Fez's sex-dream, and chose to sleep with a whore instead of confronting me about it. I know that the second time we broke-up was my fault because I was pushing him towards commitment. He's the one that threw our relationship in toilet with caring about the consequences. He had the chance to get me to come back after I left for the job in Chicago, but he decided to take Michael's stupid joke seriously, and decided to drive to Las Vegas and marry a stripper instead of listening to my explanation. When that whore walked through your front door and announced herself as his wife…I actually had some hope that he would tell her stupid-ass to go back to Las Vegas and he'd try to work everything out with me, but instead he stayed with her. When I finally realized that I lost my faith, I realized he was no longer my protector, I realized that instead of comforting me and helping me heal my broken heart, he was the one who had destroyed it."

Eric shook his head. Jackie's words sinking in.

"Jackie, I'm so sorry."

"He actually made it worse. He started burning me constantly, using the secrets I once told him against me. That's when I realized that I couldn't trust him."

"I know that he hurt you, but he still has a chance if you're in love with him doesn't he?"

"I don't know. I guess only time will tell, but I think distance will help."

"Okay…I understand why your thinking about doing what you're doing, and I support you. I'll always be there for you that's a promise that I don't intend to break."

"Thanks."

"Hey, Jackie."

"Yeah?"

"What's about Donna?"

"Eric, I don't-"

"I'm just trying to help you. I'm your best friend and I want you to be honest with me."

"I know, but it's just that I don't know if I can believe her anymore."

"Well, I talked to her today…after I talked to Hyde."

"Okay…what did she say?"

"She desperately wants everything to be back to normal. She knows she made a lot of mistakes, but she says she's willing to do whatever it takes, and even though you don't know if you can believe her and accept her apologies…she seems sincere."

"I don't know yet, but if Steven and Donna really want me in their lives, they'll understand…they'll wait."

"It's okay. We'll get through this together."

"So, Madison here we come?"

Eric laughed and pulled Jackie into a tight hug.

"Madison here we come."

Eric looked down at his Deputy Dog wristwatch.

"It's getting late. I think I should probably head home, or I'll miss dinner. Do you want to come along and eat with us?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Jackie, you just can't avoid Hyde. You're going to have to see him sooner or later."

"Well, let's just make that later. How about I come over tomorrow and we can tell everyone about us leaving for Madison in three months?"

"Okay. That sounds great…so, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, goodbye. I love you."

Eric couldn't stop the small chuckle that racked through his body. "Wow, who would have thought I'd be saying that to the Devil after all these years?"

Jackie giggled and playfully slapped Eric on the chest.

"Oh, shut up Twizzler…I love you too."

"That's going to take some more getting used to."

Jackie just rolled her eyes.

"Bye, Eric."

"Bye."


	8. Chapter 8: He can't be impacient

**Chapter 7 - He can't be impatient.**

Steven Hyde had spent the day in his bedroom. His sanctuary. He'd been listening to **Led Zeppelin** all day. **Babe I'm Gonna Leave You** currently filled the otherwise silent room. He was sitting with his legs spread out in front of him with a shoebox placed in-between them. It was a shoebox that had once held a pair of boot that a certain petite brunette had given him, but these days the box held so much more...at least it did in his eyes.

He had spent the entire day thinking about her. Thinking about the pain he had caused her with his fucking stupidity, but he had eventually come to the conclusion that what he did didn't really matter anymore. He didn't think she would forgive him after all the damage he had done, but she did have a heart of gold that many had failed to see and she had an uncanny ability to forgive. She had an amazing heart that just seemed to expand as time went on. She seemed to accommodate the size of her heart to allow more people in. He didn't understand how she did it. She had always been his **guardian angel**. She was the only person who tried to understand him. No one, but her bothered to question the tough guy exterior he had always used to shield himself from the cruelties of the world around him. She had always been able to forgive him. She had been able to see he was much more. She always said that everyone made mistakes. Then again everyone had a limit, even her.

His thoughts were then interrupted as his friend walked into his room.

Eric walked in to find Hyde sitting against his cot with a shoebox in-between his legs. The question left his lips before he could stop them.

"What the hell is it with the two of you having shoeboxes? I mean...what the hell did I miss? You don't have some pictures of me in there too...do you?"

Hyde looked up at his friend with an aggravated, yet confused expression.

"What the hell are you talking about Twitchy? Why the hell would I have pictures of you? What the hell did you mean by the two of you? Who were you talking about?"

Eric realized his mistake, and immediately tried to change the subject.

"Hey, what did I tell you about calling me Twitchy?"

Hyde didn't take the bait.

"I asked you a question, Foreman? Who the hell were you talking about?"

Eric wasn't going to tell Hyde the truth. Jackie had confided in him when she talked about the shoebox that held so many great memories for her. He wasn't going to break the trust that Jackie had bestowed upon him, so he did the only thing he could do. He lied.

"Uh…I'm talking about Donna."

Hyde didn't seem to buy it. His friend seemed a little jumpier than usual to be telling the truth.

"Donna?"

Eric couldn't stop the slight shaking in his voice, but he hoped Hyde wouldn't notice.

"Who else would I be talking about?"

Hyde couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. He had been thinking about the possibility of a certain raven-haired beauty possessing a box similar to his.

"No one. I just…no one. Sorry."

Eric sighed in relief.

"It's cool man, so what are you doing in here?"

Hyde's emotionless answer came out before he could stop it.

"I didn't know that I needed a reason to be in my bedroom, Foreman."

Eric knew what Hyde was doing. He'd heard responses like that his entire life.

"You know that's not what I meant. I was talking about what you're doing with that shoebox."

Hyde sighed deeply.

"I-I was just thinking...She trusted me. She loved me. She wanted to save me. She cared about me, but I let her down. I-I disappointed her...I hurt her."

"Jackie?"

Hyde lowered his head.

"I was never good enough for her, but she never gave up on me. She believed in me. She saw me as her Prince Charming, her knight in shining armor…the love of her life. I still can't believe I said **I don't know** when she asked me if I could see a future with her."

Hyde let out a bitter laugh that sent a chilling pain through his body.

"I used to dream about our wedding day….seeing her in a beautiful white dress walking down the aisle to met me at the altar in-front of all of our friends and family, living in a house with a white picket fence like the ones she used to look at in her stupid catalogs, the day she'd tell me I was going to be the father."

He smiled at the thought. He looked up Eric before he continued.

"I still have those dreams every once-in-a-while. I wake up and realize that they're just that. **Dreams**. Dreams of what could have been. What I gave up. My life has become a complete nightmare, and the worst part is I can't wake up from it. I-it's all my fault."

Eric shook his head sadly.

"Hyde, you have to stop beating yourself up like this. You're never going to get her to forgive you and give you another chance if you keep drowning yourself in self-pity. She needs to see that you're willing to change for her, that you can see a future with her, that she means everything to you…that you love her."

"She's leaving. How am I supposed to show her that I'm not going to be an **inconsiderate jackass**, that my life isn't the same without her in it…that she is my life. She'll be thousands of miles away from me, she'll find someone who's not afraid to publicly love her Someone who can give her everything she deserves. Someone who will give themselves to her without putting up a wall. Someone who doesn't have a wall to put up to keep her from discovering all of their insecurities that they so desperately try to hide."

He choked on his next words.

"She'll eventually forget all about me, but m-maybe that's not such a bad idea. Maybe i-it's for the best."

Eric thought about telling Hyde that Jackie had decided that she wasn't going to move to New York, but he'd already promised his best friend that the two of them would tell everyone tomorrow. He didn't know how Hyde was going to react when he found out that he would be living with Jackie in Madison. He knew Hyde had would overreact. Hyde always had a difficult time controlling his jealousy, even though he didn't think there was anything to worry about. There couldn't be...could there? absolutely No, because he loved Donna...right? Yes, he loved Donna. Jackie was his best friend in every sense of the world. He was just trying to protect her, like a big brother would protect his little sister. Eric realized he was thinking too much about stupid things and he still hadn't said anything to Hyde.

"Hyde, I'm glad you're finally letting everyone see that you do have a heart, but you shouldn't be telling me these things you should be telling Jackie-"

"She doesn't want to talk to me. She won't listen-"

"Make her listen."

Hyde suddenly stood up from his previous place on the ground feeling a strange combination of desperation and aggravation. He didn't know why, but he ended up releasing all of his pent up emotions on Eric.

"How the hell am I supposed to do that? She's in pain right now…and it's all because of me. I don't know what to do. I'm just…I can't just apologize to her anymore. She has a certain strength that helps her protect herself from the world around her and she doesn't even realize it. She's shielding herself from everyone…everyone, but you."

"I already told you that I'm going to try to help you, but I'm not going to pressure her into anything she's not prepared to do. You're just going to have to be patient."

"I know. I-I just don't want to lose her."

**"**Just give it time."

"Fine."

"Hey, I just realized that you didn't actually answer my question."

"What question?"

"What are you doing with that shoebox?"

Hyde sat down on his cot and gingerly picked up the shoebox from its previous place on the ground. He looked inside one more time before he looked up at Eric.

"I have everything that reminds me of Jackie in this box...even the shoebox itself reminds me of her."

Eric seemed shock at his friend's admission.

"Really?"

"Yeah…it's mostly pictures of us. I used to spend nights looking at them whenever Sam feel asleep. She almost caught me a few times, but I couldn't help looking at these pictures time and time again. It's **my escape**, but at the same time it's also **my torture**."

Eric was once again confused. Why the hell did he surround himself with complicated people?

"What?"

"I don't really know how to explain it with sounding like a complete love-struck moron…or you."

Eric laughed sarcastically and momentarily glared at Hyde.

"Ha. Ha…We already talked about this Hyde you have to be honest-"

"With Jackie, not you."

"Well, these days it's pretty much the same thing because she tells me everything..so I'll eventually find out all about the little conversations the two of you have whether you like it or not."

Eric couldn't help but childishly stick out his tongue. He'd won and he knew that his friend knew it.

Hyde stared getting irritated. He wasn't okay with the idea of his friend and the love of his life being so fucking close.

"Whatever. I don't want to talk about this anymore, so just drop it."

"You're going to have to talk about it eventually."

"Yeah, but **eventually** doesn't mean today."

Eric voice suddenly turned babyish. It actually seemed to resemble the babying voice Kitty Foreman reserved for him.

"Aw...is little Steven getting upset?"

Hyde was becoming more and more aggravated by the second.

"Don't call me Steven...and get the fuck out of my room before I kick your ass.

Eric smirked evilly before he answered.

"I think you would be making a mistake if you did that. I don't think Jackie is going to be very happy with you if you kick her best friend's ass. I'm just saying...do you really want to take that chance?"

Hyde couldn't hide his annoyance as he gave his response.

"Whatever. Just get out."

"Why don't you try saying **please**?"

"Don't push it."

"Yeah, it'd probably be in my best interest to stop."

Eric started walking towards the door when he suddenly remembered what he had talked about with Jackie.

"Hey, make sure you're in the basement tomorrow."

"Where else would I be?"

Eric thought about it for a second before nodding his head.

"You're right, but I'm just making sure."

"Why?"

"Don't worry about it right now…just make sure you're here tomorrow."

**"**Whatever."

* * *

Eric left Hyde's bedroom closing the door behind him. He couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips. He'd finally started to see that Hyde was willing to breakdown the walls he'd spent years building to keep the world out, just to get the **love of his life** back. Things were drastically changing, and even though Hyde would continue to hide behind what was left of his wall for the time being…Eric knew that eventually Hyde would realize that he could let his loved ones know that he did have a heart, and that he had a place for every single one of them in it without compromising his tough-guy exterior. Eric was one-hundred percent sure that everyone would soon get their **happily ever after**.It would just take some time...at least that's what he wanted.


End file.
